Political Quotes

“over a century ago, my great-grandfather came from Sweden to chop sugarcane in Louisiana. He came for the same reason that so many people come to this country from Mexico today--to take on some of our society's most difficult jobs, to create a better life. And when an illegal entry occurs, it is not the result of the policy of the City of Pharr, Roma or McAllen, but they have to cope with the consequences of a Federal policy they do not control. If undocumented workers, who are too often the victims of crime, hesitate to report crime because they fear the police, then our entire community loses. Austin Assistant Police Chief Rudy Landeros has made the Austin Police Department a leader in building confidence with immigrants and working with them, giving them the respect crime victims deserve, because the Austin Police Department and so many others recognize it is essential to fulfilling the mission of public safety. The Tancredo amendment would destroy such pragmatic local initiatives and would endanger all of our families. It must be rejected. Our police departments have a difficult mission, and we do not need congressional interference at this critical time as they fulfill that mission.”